Wildlife

Dung eater

Dung eaters feed on waste, either of other species or their own. Those that eat their own, such as rabbits and ringtail possums, do it because it's so hard to extract nourishment from their nutrient-poor diet that digesting it a second time is worthwhile. In contrast, pikas eat their own dung to keep their salt levels in balance. Some dung eaters, like the dung beetles, play an important ecosystem role in recycling waste and helping to disperse or germinate seeds in the dung.

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British Isles: A Natural History

Natural World

A young elephant relishes the dung left by the older members of the herd.

Though they usually abandon the habit after a few months, young elephant Ella seems reluctant to give up eating dung. As vegetarians, elephants don't digest all they can from their food. More nutrients can be extracted in a second pass, as well as vital digestive flora, so the dung eating habit of the youngsters makes a lot of sense.